1880.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
255 
ried out. Any farmer can select a given portion of 
his corn field for seed, and can thin, remove suck¬ 
ers, poor stalks—those with imperfect ears, etc., 
and in that way increase the growth of the best 
ears, with sound and vitally strong grain. 
Late Potatoes will need constant watching for the 
Beetle, which should not be allowed to do any 
damage; kill the insects at their first appearance 
by an application of poison. 
Buckwheat as a late crop to fill out with, when 
another has been removed or failed to grow, can be 
sown up to the middle of the month. A bushel of 
seed per acre is an abundance to sow. 
Cleanliness .—The utmost neatness should be ex¬ 
ercised about the premises in the hot weather. 
Garbage of every kind should be disposed of be¬ 
fore it becomes decayed and is giving off a bad odor. 
A Compost Heap is the proper place for all de¬ 
composable waste material. It should be situated 
in an out-of-the-way place, but near at hand, so 
that all weeds, waste, and decomposable litter of 
all sorts, may be carted upon it quickly and easily. 
Hotes on Orchard and Garden Work. 
The cultivator, whether of the orchard or garden, 
should make it a part of his programme to take a 
vacation, and this from necessity must come in 
mid-summer. This can be devoted merely to rec¬ 
reation—a most excellent use to make of it—or it 
may be turned to good account in making visits to 
others engaged in the same pursuits. A grape 
grower, for example, can make no better invest¬ 
ment of his time and money than to go to Ham- 
mondsport or some other town on Lake Keuka, 
and from there visit the many neighboring vine¬ 
yards. The nurseryman should go to Rochester 
or Geneva, N, Y., where he will find the largest 
nurseries in the country. Other cultivators can 
readily find centers where special attention is given 
to the things in which they are interested, and a 
visit to these will not only afford recreation, but 
will be very sure to pay in the instruction that an 
intelligent observer can always gain from seeing 
the operations of others. 
Another matter should receive early attention— 
preparation for the autumn fairs. The fair season 
will begin in a little over two months, and it is 
none too early to consider the matter. The local 
fair, whether county or other, should receive the 
attention of every cultivator, whether he belongs 
to the class called “amateur,” or to the “ profes¬ 
sionals,” as those who cultivate plants of any kind 
as a business are called. A lively competition for 
the prizes, no matter how small these in themselves 
may be, is the only way in which a fair, large or 
small, can be made useful to the community. Every 
cultivator should make it a point to show his best 
products, and if any one exhibits better ones than 
his own he may be sure that there is something 
about varieties, or their cultivation, that he should 
learn. Besides these smaller fairs, those engaged 
in any branch of horticulture as a business, should 
show their products at the State or other large 
Pair, if only for the sake of making himself and his 
business known. It is none too soon to decide 
what shall be exhibited at the coming fairs, and 
what prizes upon the schedule are to be competed 
for, and to give the articles early attention in order 
that the exhibit may be a creditable one. If one 
competes for varieties of pears, as an example, for 
the half dozen or dozen to make the “plate,” 
should be selected before band, and all smaller and 
poorer frail near them on the tree be removed in 
order to secure the greatest possible development 
of those selected. So with other fruits, and a like 
course is to be pursued with vegetables, flowers, etc. 
Orchard asset Nursery. 
Budding .—So soon as the bark of the stock will 
“ run,” that is, when it raises readily, and the buds 
are well formed, the budding may be done. In 
August, 1877, we gave full directions with illustra¬ 
tions, and as we can not repeat every year, the 
reader who is in need of such instructions is re¬ 
ferred to the number mentioned, which if not at 
hand, can be sent by us, post-paid for 15 cents. 
Thinning .—It will pay to thin the fruit from over¬ 
loaded trees, even though it is getting late. The 
fruit that remains will be of better size and quality, 
and the benefit to the tree, especially if it is young, 
will make it pay for the labor of thinning. 
O-rafts will need to be looked to ; they must not 
be interfered with by surrounding branches, some 
of which may need to be cut away. All grafts 
growing too vigorously should be pinched back. 
Pruning can be done during this month. An 
open head to the tree should be kept in mind, that 
the air and sunlight may readily reach the interior. 
Marketing .—The early fruit will be largely mar¬ 
keted this month. Too much care can not be ex¬ 
ercised in having it put up with neatness. Tidy 
packages neatly marked and filled with selected 
fruit, always bring a good price, even when the 
market is full of inferior fruit. Get and hold a 
reputation for uniformly good fruit—as it pays. 
Tent Caterpillar .—The nests that have escaped 
the earlier rounds should be destroyed, or these 
greedy “worms” will rapidly strip the trees of 
their leaves, and thus greatly retard their growth. 
Codling Moth is best caught by using bands of 
hay or paper put around the trunks of the trees. 
Remove the bands every week or so, and kill the 
insects that have gathered beneath them. 
Blight is the most mysterious of all the enemies 
which affect the success of the fruit frower. Other 
troubles either give warning of their approach, or 
are to be traced to some direct cause. With this, 
the fruit grower’s only knowledge of it is the death 
of a part of the tree, and not rarely the whole of it. 
The tree that was yesterday a model of thrift and 
productiveness, will be to-day a mass of dead wood, 
bearing scorched and blackened foliage, a eutn- 
berer of the ground. When it appears, cut away 
the portions killed, removing the whole tree if 
found necessary. 
r l'S»e Fruit Garden, 
Grape-Vines .—For the first two years a stake is a 
sufficient support, after which some kind of trellis 
should be provided. Keep the shoots you wish to 
preserve well tied up, and as others start remove 
them. The little branches that are coming out at 
the point where the leaf joins the main stem, are 
the laterals , which should be pinched back to the 
first leaf, and if it makes another start, pinch it 
back again. Stop any shoots by pinching when 
they are as long as desired. The insects that ap¬ 
pear are in most cases best removed by hand-pick¬ 
ing.—See article on this subject on page 273. 
Mildew appears first in white patches on the under 
surface of the leaves, and afterwards upon the fruit, 
and should be kept in check by using the Flowers 
of Sulphur, applied with a bellows on a still morn¬ 
ing. It is best to apply the Sulphur when there is 
dew upon the vines, or just after a rain, as the dry 
powder sticks to the vines better. The sulphuring 
should be repeated at intervals of a few days until 
the mildew disappears. Bellows for the purpose 
are sold at the seed and implement stores. 
Currants .—If the fruit is for making jelly, pick it 
when well colored and before it is dead ripe, but if 
to be eaten fresh at home, it should remain on un¬ 
til thoroughly mature. The long shoots that push 
up from the interior of the bush should be broken 
off while young. Any other thinning that is nec¬ 
essary may be done now with advantage. 
Blackberries and ^Raspberries — Those canes that 
are to be left for fruit bearing next year should be 
stopped by pinching at 6 feet for Blackberries, and 
4 feet for Raspberries. All other shoots are to be 
treated as weeds and cut away early in their 
growth. So soon as the fruit is off the old canes 
have finished their work, and should be cut away. 
Straidbem-ies .—When the picking is over, remove 
the mulch of straw, etc., give the soil a good coat 
of manure, well forked in, and keep the bed clean 
of weeds. If the single row system is followed, 
the runners are to be kept cut off, unless plants 
are wanted to set new beds. In the alternate 
system the runners are to be encouraged to make 
plants in the forked and manured “paths” between 
the old rows. Pot layering is now r quite extensive¬ 
ly practised, and is to be commended for private 
gardens. It consists in sinking small pots filled 
with rich soil in the soil of the bed into which the 
runners may strike their plants ; afterwards plant, 
soil and all is transferred to the new bed. Plants 
thus obtained will bear a good crop the next season. 
Kitchen anil Market Garden. 
We made special mention of the value of the hoe 
and rake in the garden last mouth, and it can not 
be too forcibly stated that upon their frequent use 
the success of the vegetable garden depends; at 
this time, when the planting is pretty well over, the 
tending of the growing crops is the principal work. 
Asparagus. —Let the plants grow up and form a 
dense mass of green. Pull out any large weeds— 
the shade will prevent the growth of small ones. 
Beans. —Bush sorts, like the “Refugee,” may be 
still planted for late use and pickling. The Limas, 
if very vigorous, and inclined to run beyond their 
poles, may be pinched at the top of the pole. 
Beets. —Sow for a succession for greens and young 
roots. Keep the weeds out and the soil loose. 
Cabbage and Cauliflowers. —Set for late crop in a 
rich soil, and watch for the worms, which, if they 
appear, may be killed by the use of hot water. 
Celery should be set now, in rows three feet apart 
and six inches in the row. The trench system is 
entirely superseded by that of cultivating on the 
level surface and blanching late in the season by 
throwing up the earth in ridges around the plants. 
Cai'rots. —Hoe so long as the tops do not inter¬ 
fere with the work, and thin when too close. 
Corn. —Early sorts may be planted for late use 
and drying. The seed of the best specimens should 
be saved for planting next year. 
Cucumbers. —Dust with ashes to keep off the 
“bugs” and other insects. Pick the small fruit every 
day for pickles. Those two inches long are best. 
Egg Plants. —By using liquid manure, the plants 
may be forced greatly. The fruit should be kept 
off of the ground, by using a layer of straw. 
Melons.— The late set fruit will not ripen, and had 
best be removed. Save seed from best specimens. 
Oniotis. —When the tops lie down, the onions are 
ready to be harvested. Store in a cool airy place 
after being thoroughly dried in the sun. 
Sweet Potatoes. —The vines should not become 
rooted at the joints. Move them when hoeing. 
Squashes , unlike the sweet potatoes, may strike 
root at the joints with advantage. Keep the bugs off'. 
Tomatoes. —Use some sort of trellis to keep the 
fruit from the ground ; if there is no trellis, use 
brush or even hay to keep the fruit from the ground. 
>£>- 
Flower Gurdeii aia«l Lawn. 
The main work now is to keep everything in order. 
Lawn. —The mower must be frequently used, and 
the corners, borders, and out-of-the-way places 
“trimmed up” with a sickle. Any large weeds 
that come up, should be dug out by the roots. 
Walks and Drives will need an occasional hoeing 
and raking, and the roller passed over to smooth 
and harden them. The margins should be neatly 
trimmed with large shears at frequent intervals. 
Bedding Plants need much care, as they grow 
rapidly, and unless the knife is frequently used, 
will get in bad shape, and attractiveness is lost. 
Dahlias, Gladioluses , etc., will need stakes to sup¬ 
port them, but simple unnoticeable poles firmly 
driven into the soil are preferable to painted sticks. 
Cambers are to be looked to, and care taken 
that they have ample means of support. 
Annuals and Perennials, should have no weeds 
amongst them. Unless seeds are to be saved, cut 
away the clusters as soon as the bloom fades. 
-O 
<Si*eeBiE«<i>asse ransdl Wisaslovv 
This is the most difficult time of the year to 
make the greenhouse look attractive. The beauty 
and attraction are now out-of-doors. Much shading 
must be done, with either heavy coats of white¬ 
wash on the glass, or by using muslin. Frequent 
watering and wetting down of the walks, etc., is 
necessary to keep the house cool. Fumigate at 
frequent intervals. Get stock of moss from bogs 
if the weather is dry, and soil from the woods. 
